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The Brazilian has returned to the first team under Maurizio Sarri (Picture: Getty)

Chelsea defender David Luiz admits he probably would have left the club had manager Antonio Conte not been replaced by Maurizio Sarri over the summer.

The Brazilian fell out with Conte after a 3-0 defeat to Roma at the end of October last year before injuring his knee a few days later, only making two appearances in the Premier League in the reminder of the season as a result.

But he has returned to the starting XI under Conte’s successor Sarri and says he is enjoying his football once again.

Conte and Luiz did not always see eye to eye (Picture: Getty)

Luiz told Sky Sports: ‘If the manager had stayed the same, of course, everybody knows maybe I had to move clubs. Now I am here and so happy.’

He continued: ‘I think I always have to feel fresh start because I am getting old!

‘It is amazing to play football, of course last season was not the best for me inside the pitch, but also I learned a lot outside the pitch as a person, as a man. It is always great to be on the pitch.

‘I learned a lot, sometimes you have to be patient, sometimes you have to take care of your body, sometimes you have to learn from outside to be good in the future. So for me it was great.

Sarri has started his reign in charge of Chelsea with back-to-back league wins (Picture: Getty)

‘I got time to take care of my body; many times I was on the pitch in pain, and I never refused to play one game. It was good to rest and be fresh.’

On Sarri he added: ‘I think every coach comes with new stuff and can improve and help us and of course Sarri has already taught me many things I never saw before.’